Thunder Storms
by speakingsoul
Summary: Kat/Hale one-shot of a pre-book moment. Kat is staying at Hale's mansion and is frightened by a storm.


**Setting: Before the events of Heist Society. I imagine it to be about a year previous.**

Katarina Bishop sat in the room she was staying in at the Hale Mansion trying to read a book. Thunder clapped loudly making her jump and she looked out the window to see a bolt of lightning strike. Kat gripped her book more tightly. When another clap of thunder sounded, she jumped up and scrambled out the door and down the hall toward Hale's room. She paused outside his door, feeling better being close to another person, undecided about whether she would really enter the room. It was late enough that they had both retired, but still early enough that he wouldn't have gone to bed yet. Thunder clapped again and Kat scrambled through Hale's door and closed it quickly behind her.

Hale looked up, surprised to see her there. He was sitting on his bed with a book as she had been doing. Kat suddenly felt embarrassed under his gaze and her cheeks grew warm.

Hale said nothing but looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Mind if I hang out with you for a while?" Kat asked, noticing that she still clutched her book tightly in her hand.

"Of course," Hale said smiling roguishly, "come sit with me." He scooted over on the bed, leaving a space to his left.

Kat relaxed a little and began to walk across the room. She was halfway to Hale when another clap of thunder came and she dropped her book and broke into a sprint, hopping up on the bed. She tried to compose herself as she arranged herself carefully next to him.

"Afraid of thunder, Kitty Kat?" Hale teased her.

"Only a little," Kat said in a faux casual tone that would have fooled anyone but Hale.

"It's okay, Kat, the storm is outside. It can't hurt us in here," Hale said in an attempt to calm her.

When thunder clapped again loudly, she jumped and scooted closer to Hale.

Hale chuckled and put his arm around Kat, feeling her relax slightly.

"I used to be terrified of storms, you know?" Hale began, looking for something to distract her.

"You did?" Kat responded automatically.

"Yeah," Hale continued. "I was alone alot..." But he was interrupted by the longest and loudest clap of thunder yet.

The lights flickered and Kat tried to get even closer to him.

Hale reached around her with his other arm to put both arms around her and pulled her to him. He expected some resistance, but found none. He stroked her hair gently.

When the room went black, Kat let out a squeal and buried her face against Hale's shoulder. She felt him hold her even tighter and was almost certain she felt him kiss the top of her head.

"It's okay, Kat," Hale assured her. "We have backup generators and everything. I'm sure Marcus is already taking care of it." Kat tried to take calming breaths.

Hale rubbed her back, trying not to think too much about how good it felt to hold her.

It was still dark when Marcus opened the door and shined a flashlight in. If he was surprised to see his young master embracing the girl in the dark he didn't show it.

Kat tensed slightly, but Hale was unfazed as usual.

"Excuse me sir," Marcus began, "The power should be coming back on in a few minutes. I've brought you a flashlight."

"Thank you, Marcus." Hale took the flashlight with one hand and placed it next to him, keeping his other arm around Kat.

"Do you need anything else, sir?" Marcus asked.

"No, thank you Marcus." Hale responded.

Marcus nodded and left the room.

Hale kept his arm around her and Kat relaxed against him until the next clap of thunder came. She felt vulnerable, exposed, and she hated that. She was too terrified to move away from Hale.

"When I was nine, I was stuck alone in a tool shed during a thunderstorm for an hour." Kat confessed.

"That sounds scary," Hale said.

"It was," Kat agreed. "I've been afraid of storms ever since."

Hale was rubbing his fingers absently along her arm, giving her goose bumps.

"You're not alone now," Hale said, _and neither am I_ he thought. "Don't be afraid."

The lights came on again and Kat breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted her head from his shoulder and sat up beside him but Hale kept an arm protectively around her. They sat together talking and huddling together when they heard thunder.

When they felt sure the storm had passed, Hale walked Kat back to her room.

"Goodnight, Kitty Kat," Hale said from the doorway.

"Goodnight, Hale," Kat replied as she closed the door.


End file.
